A high-fidelity modeling and simulation framework for a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle

This paper presents the development, integration, and simulation-based validation of a high-fidelity system-level model for a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) designed for Formula SAE (FSAE) competition. The proposed powertrain architecture comprises a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) as the primary energy source, a lithium-ion battery pack for peak power buffering and regenerative energy capture, and a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) for final drive propulsion. A rule-based energy management strategy (EMS) implemented in MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow governs power split between the fuel cell and battery to maintain fuel cell operation within its high-efficiency region while satisfying dynamic racing demands. Simulation results over the FSAE endurance cycle demonstrate that the vehicle achieves a 75-m acceleration time of 3.98 s (beating the 4.5 s target), consumes 1.61 kg of hydrogen (below the 1.8 kg limit), and maintains battery state-of-charge above 52%. The fuel cell operates 82% of the time within its peak efficiency band (5–15 kW), and regenerative braking recovers 82% of available kinetic energy. Comparative benchmarking against recent FSAE FCEV studies shows agreement within 8–12%, validating the modeling framework. This work provides a reusable, modular simulation tool for FCEV prototyping and identifies clear pathways for EMS optimization and experimental validation.